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 Johnny's here, there — and everywhere People make organizations work, Tucker says Nine win Council 2 scholarships Resolutions approved at convention Convention sets agenda for next two years Hersey award goes to Trina Young Larsen's interest in union affairs is all in the family Why we must vigorously oppose I-747 You helped me win senate race, Cantwell tells delegates Bothell calls in a cop to help in negotiations Council 2 is fastest growing union |
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Bothell calls in a cop to help in negotiationsGENERALLY WHEN counties or cities negotiate with a union, they hire an outside consultant to serve as their negotiator. But when contract talks were due to start between the City of Bothell and Local 3845 in December, the City Manager, Jim Thompson, looked to a member of his own staff. He called in the Police Chief, Mark Ericks, to lead the negotiations for the City.
"I also have quite a long history of working with Pat Thompson (Council 2’s Director of Legislation/Political Action)," Ericks says. Not only that, but Ericks knows bargaining from both sides of the fence; he was guild president when he worked for the Bellevue Police many years ago. By the time the negotiations were completed in late April, members of the Local were pleased with the new three-year contract. "Any time you have a three-year period between contracts it is in the best interests of all that the terms of the contract remain fair during the course of the contract," Ericks says. A significant aspect of the new contract is a new retirement health savings program, sometimes referred to as a veba. Ericks believes that the City of Bothell is one of the first cities in the country to offer the program, provided by International City/County Management Association (ICMA), which specializes in government deferred compensation plans. The plan allows an employer to contribute a percentage of the employee’s salary to the plan. Contributions made by the City and employees to the fund are tax-free and when the employee draws on the plan after retirement, the income also is tax-free. Contributions and plan earnings can be used by the retiree to pay for all medical-related costs. The plan might be part of future packages, too. "We are shifting gears to try to obtain more enhanced deferred compensation plans where the retirement plans are inadequate," Thompson says. As part of the negotiated package, the City will invest 1 percent of an employee’s salary that can be used for a retiree health care plan. City employees also will receive raises retroactive to January 1. |
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